The Endless Sky
by OmegaPineapple
Summary: Several aspiring adventurers arrive in the town of Tharsis, forming a haphazard guild from the ground up. As they explore the world around them, they not only learn more about it, but also more each each other and themselves. Join Herogard in an inspiring tale of friendship as they seek to conquer the labyrinth, else the labyrinth conquer them!
1. Ch 1: A Town Embraced by the Azure Sky

It was the seventh hour of the first day of Spring. The air was warm, save for a mild cool breeze that flittered by every so often. Cotton-like clouds hung in the distance, seemingly unmoving, filling the sky with their softness. The gentle sunlight fell upon the buildings and the pavement that a pair of leather boots clicked against as they walked. The young man reached inside his coat pocket and withdrew a relatively large piece of parchment, unfolding it carefully.

 _So this is Tharsis._

According to the rumors circulating his hometown, the count of a far off town issued a nationwide challenge to whoever were to uncover the secret of the Yggdrasil tree. Knowing that a prize given by nobility was not something to be taken lightly, he left his home and travelled for countless days in search of the town that held the count.

As he approached the border, a figure caught his attention. Standing just at the edge of the town, gazing up at the cumbersome structures and lush trees further into the city was a small girl. A pale turquoise dress with golden etchings fit loosely on her miniature figure, and a chullo rested on her soft, aqua hair. Her bright, curious eyes danced from side to side, surveying the entrance for a solid amount of time. The young man folded his map of sorts and called out to the girl.

"Excuse me!"

"H-huh? Ah...!"

The man walked over to the girl with a friendly smile and wave. "I suppose normally someone in my position would ask if this were the right place, but you seem to be lost. Can I help you?"

The girl seemingly recovered from her daze, smiled bashfully while discreetly trying to avoid eye contact. "Ah, no, I know where I am. This is the town of Tharsis if I'm not mistaken. I've just...been a little hesitant to enter is all."

"Why is that?" The man raised a troubled eyebrow.

The girl started to squirm, likely due to prolonged exposure to a stranger. "Ah well, you see... I w-want to join a guild here but I'm not too certain that I'll be accepted, so I g-guess I'm a little scared to find out."

"Oh, is that all?" The man straightened himself and smiled warmly. "Why don't I go with you then? I'm also looking to join a guild while in town. It might do well to have someone there to support you, and to be honest, I could use the moral boost as well. What do you say?"

She held her arms close to her chest almost defensively, but smiled meekly and nodded. "Alright. Oh, um... I never got your name..." Her voice trailed off.

"My name is Tristan. It's a pleasure to meet you." Tristan extended his hand to the girl.

The girl reached out to accept the gesture. "My name's F-Fiora." Upon contact, her face turned a brighter shade and she withdrew almost instantly.

Tristan nodded and began to make his way into the town. Fiora scrambled after him, struggling a bit to match his pace before eventually falling into sync. They took in their surroundings with wonder, observing the brick buildings at least a couple stories high with lime, slanted roofs, and the abundance of trees the deeper they got in.

With the helpful guidance of the signs, it didn't take long until both were standing before a large marble building with pillars marking its entrance. From the inside, shouting between two parties could be heard. Emerging from the entrance was a dark, well-built man with long gray hair and a mustache that matched. He seemed to be donned in a silver tunic of sorts, golden buckles fastening the metal plate on his chest in place. In his hand was a tuff of blonde hair, with the girl attached to it struggling to break free of his grasp.

"Ow ow ow! Lemme go, that hurts!"

The man grunted. "We've told you once and we'll tell you again: We don't have any guilds for you to join! Either be patient and wait for a position to open or go and form your own guild!" With a mighty heave, he tossed the girl a good distance away and stormed back inside.

Looking closer, the pair that had travelled to the guild together could see the girl in more detail. She looked thin, despite having a broadsword and buckler attached to her plaid skirt. She aligned herself and dusted off her tights, her equipment clinking as she did so.

Tristan extended a hand. "Are you okay?"

The girl gladly took it, grunting as she pulled herself up. "Yeah, I'm okay. Damn guildmaster still refuses to let me join though."

"We heard about that. What exactly was that all about?"

The girl stretched, cracking her joints. "I dunno. They claim that all of their existing guilds are filled and in order join one you'd basically have to make your own from scratch." The girl turned her head, finally noticing the figures she had been speaking to. She smiled widely. "Hey, you're new to Tharsis, aren't you?"

Tristan frowned. _Was it that obvious?_

"Uh...yes, as a matter of fact, we are."

"Awesome! You guys have gotta try the food at the Saehrimnir Inn, it's other-worldly!" She began a light jog, stopping a few meters ahead to beckon those behind her. "C'mon!"

Fiora's sapphire eyes were filled with concern, but Tristan shrugged and walked after the girl who had extended him the offer. Fiora chased after him quickly, keeping close as if he were a lifeline in the foreign city.

After following the energetic girl seemingly all over town, the finally stopped in front of a small building. It looked the same as most others, but a sweet and powerful smell wafted from the entrance. Without thinking, Tristan was led up the cobblestone steps to the door handle, pushing his way inside.

Opening the door almost overwhelmed his senses, had he not fought to control them. Taking a more objective view on the inn, he found the squeaking sound he had been hearing in fact came from his boots on the floorboard. The warm glow of candelight melded with the natural light of the sun coming from the window next to it. A fresh meal was waiting on the table, likely the source of the wondrous smell.

After realizing he had completely forgotten about Fiora, he quickly spun his head around to find her. Fortunately for him, she had fallen into the same, sweet-scented trap as he had. The girl who had led them there danced around them, crossing her arms behind her back and leaning forward with a charming smile.

"See? I told you it was great! Let's dig in!"

From the other room, a woman's voice called, "Now hold on, dear." Stepping out into the open was likely the owner of the voice, a woman who appeared to be in her mid thirties. Her mahogany hair was tied off to the side, likely to not get it burnt by the heavy pot she was carrying. She set it on the table and removed her checkered oven mitts. "I don't run a charity, you know. I would be more than happy to share my cooking with you, but only after you pay for it!"

"Of course. Give me one moment..." Tristan reached into his coin pouch and removed several en. "You can return the change to me after I've finished."

The woman smiled warmly and clapped her hands. "Oh! I haven't seen your face around before. You must be new! My name is Dalla, I run this humble business."

"I see. My name is Tristan, and this is Fiora." He gestured to the girl hiding behind him, who waved shyly.

"There's no need to be shy, dear! Please, come in and make yourselves at home. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." She bowed her head and hurried into the other room.

As Tristan took his place at the table and bit into the food, he could see that his guide made no exaggeration. After living off of bread and whatever he could find in the wilderness during his travels, a home cooked meal seemed to feed his soul just as much as his stomach. Fiora attempted to eat modestly, though he assumed that she had been in a situation similar to him and any table etiquette she would have had was tossed aside.

Their guide on the other hand was the most savage in appearance when devouring her food. As she slurped every liquid and chewed with her jaw hanging open for all to see, Tristan began to wonder if she was ever taught any table manners. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and began her attack on the next bowl.

In this line of thought, it also occurred to him that he still didn't know her name. "Hey," he called out. "You never introduced us."

"Mwa namph wipha!" she responded, with a mouth full of potato.

"Swallow your food before talking!"

She gulped down half her mug of water and let out a refreshed sigh. "My name's Lisa! It's nice to meet you two!"

As they continued eating, Dalla reentered the room, this time holding a few coins in her hand. "Your change comes to twenty en."

Tristan looked up at her with confusion. "I thought I gave you around fifty. Thirty en for one meal seems kind of steep, don't you think?"

"Oh? I thought you were paying for your friends here."

He shot a glare of daggers at Lisa, who could only smile sheepishly. Jumping up from his seat and reaching across the table, he pinched Lisa's cheeks.

"You damn leech!"

"Ow ow ow ow! I'm sorry!"

Fiora timidly raised a gloved hand. "I apologize. I don't have any money on me and I thought you were treating us..."

Seeing her sincere apology, he let go of Lisa and threw himself back into his chair. "I don't mind treating you, Fiora. It's this sneaky devil that I'm angry at."

Lisa rubbed her cheeks, acting hurt. "Hey, that's mean..."

"So is cheating people for food!"

"Well, I'm sorry! Until I can join or make a guild, I can't exactly make any money of my own!"

At that moment, a young woman clad in armor approached the table. "Excuse me, did you say you all were interested in making a guild?" Her short copper hair hugged her mature features, and a large shield hung on her back. Underneath the armor, she wore a white tunic.

Tristan smiled apologetically and scratched his head. "Sorry but, who are you?"

The woman let out a small gasp. "Ah! Forgive my terrible manners. My name is Anastasia, though you may call me Anna if you wish. I couldn't help but overhear that you desired to make a guild. I too, wish to be a part of a guild but have not had any luck. If it is no trouble, might I join yours? I may not have much, but I can become a shield for any ally."

Lisa clapped her hands together with glee. "Perfect! We've got myself as a landsknecht, Anna as a fortress, Fiora as a runemaster and Tristan as medic! We've got just enough to form a party!"

"Um, I'm actually a runemaster in training... I haven't learned any spells ye-"

"Hold on, did you call me a medic?"

Lisa blinked once, innocently. "Is something wrong?"

"There are many things wrong here! First of all, you didn't even ask Fiora or I if we wanted to be a part of your party and second of all, I'm not a medic!"

She frowned and tilted her head. "You're wearing a white coat aren't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"And you have a first-aid kit on you, don't you?"

"Yes, but-!"

Lisa grinned triumphantly. "Then you're our medic! I don't see a problem here!"

Fiora tugged on Tristan's sleeve, pulling him aside. "A-actually, this might a g-good idea. We aren't really in a position to say no..."

She was right. At best, they would just be on the waiting list to join a guild and at worst, they would get stuck with worse party members. Anna seemed decent enough, but he foresaw Lisa getting them into several problems. He sighed and turned back to the table.

"Alright, we'll form a guild. If we leave now, we should still have plenty of time left in the day to register and enter the lush woodlands to the north of here."

The mood of the three girls visibly lightened, and they all hurried to the door. Tristan followed them out, and down the same winding paths as they all chattered excitedly with one another. Before long, they were back at the guild's entrance where the same dark man that tossed Lisa out was waiting.

"Back again, I see. It looks like you I should have reinforced the previous lesson more." He cracked his knuckles.

Lisa frantically waved her arms, laughing nervously. "No, wait! I actually brought others to form a guild with this time!"

Hearing this, the guildmaster relaxed somewhat. Eyeing up the three standing behind Lisa, he chuckled with amusement. "Be careful with this one. She can be quite the troublemaker if left unchecked."

 _Noted,_ Tristan thought.

"Very well, come inside and we'll fill out the necessary paperwork." After entering the explorer's guild, he looked over his shoulder. "Have you put any thought into what you want yourselves to be called?"

Without hesitation, Lisa raised her voice and said, "Herogard!"

Tristan took a step forward. "Now wait a second, I didn't agree on-" He was stopped by Anna's gentle hand on his shoulder. She shook her head.

"She's been waiting a long time to use the name. Why not let her have it?"

Fiora smiled sheepishly and raised her hand. "I um... I actually kind of like how it sounds..."

Tristan sighed and shrugged. "Alright, fine. Herogard it is." He furrowed his brow at Lisa. "Next time at least ask us, though."

The guildmaster scribed a few things down on his parchment and after several minutes of exchanging various bits of information, finally cleared his throat.

"That concludes all of the paperwork, then. Congratulations Herogard, you are officially registered to explore. Just head over to the count and give him this letter of introduction."

"Yes sir." Tristan took the letter and stored it in his pocket.

"C'mon guys, what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Lisa shouted from the entrance of the explorer's guild.

The guildmaster smiled. "Do keep an eye out for that one. She's mischievous to no end, but she has a good heart."

Nodding, Tristan ran after Lisa and the rest of his newfound party. Finding the Mark Grand Court where the count resided wasn't too difficult, considering its massive size and the plaza that lay out in front of it. Lisa and Anna did not seem to have any noticeable reactions, but Fiora and Tristan were taken aback by its size. Lisa was the first one to enter, leaving the rest of Herogard to pick up their pace to follow her.

Upon entry into the Grand Court, a noble looking man cloaked in green and gold with a small dog in his arms approached the group and straightened his silk cravat. His mustache hid most of his mouth, giving off something of a comedic appearance. Without speaking, Tristan withdrew the letter and handed it to the count who read it silently. After he had finished, he folded the letter and placed it in his own pocket.

"Welcome, adventurers. I am the count of Tharsis." He seemed to size up the group in a similar way that the guildmaster had earlier. He coughed once into his gloved hand. "I see you have an able bodied party with you. However, I can't just let you into the labyrinth that easily."

"What? Why not!" Lisa shouted, visibly upset. "We've got our guild, we've got some equipment, why the hell can't we go in!"

Tristan grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. "Lisa, you're being rude!"

The count took a step backward and held a hand in the air defensively. "Please, listen! We have had many eager explorers enter the labyrinth and never return, so first we simply wish to test your skills in navigating before we let you delve any deeper."

"Um... What sort of test?" Fiora took a cautious step forward.

Straightening his coat and clearing his throat, the count continued, "You see, just on the outskirts of town is an old mine where we used to harvest Iridescent Ore. Long had we thought the well on such a valuable resource had run dry, but an adventurer discovered that there was still more to be had. Your task is to retrieve some. Do this, and I will fully acknowledge you lot as explorers."

"What does this Iridescent Ore look like?" Anna inquired.

"Ah yes, I suppose that is an important detail. When the light hits it, it refracts into every color imaginable. Its true worth lies not in its beauty, however! You shall understand when you yourselves see it." Finishing his explanation, the count sat behind a wooden desk a fancy and expensive looking chair. "Any more questions?"

Tristan shook his head. "No sir, we'll be on our way."

As they were about to leave, the count called out to them again. "One last thing! A soldier should be waiting for you right outside of town. He'll guide you to the mine."

A test seemed reasonable enough. In fact, it worked out for both the count and the newly formed party. Not only would the results determine if they were worthy of being explorers, but also if they were cut out for the job. It was just as much a safety measure as it was to protect the count's reputation.

"Man, I do not like that guy!" Lisa grumbled. "I could take on the Yggdrasil Labyrinth singlehandedly! Stupid tests..."

"We don't know what's lying in wait for us," Tristan countered. "For all we know, whatever is in the labyrinth too strong for us. We should be careful."

"Too strong for me? Ha! There's no such thing!" Lisa gave a prideful grin and skipped ahead.

He wanted to say something else, but their discussion was cut short but the appearance of a guard. His face was obscured, so Tristan couldn't make out the details, but he looked to be young for his position, possibly in his late twenties or early thirties. His plate armor shifted as he saw the party approach.

"Are you the Herogard guild the Outland Count spoke of?" he asked in a firm, commanding voice.

"We are," Tristan responded simply.

"Very well, follow me."

There was an electric buzz throughout the party, everyone teeming with excitement. As they departed from the city, the feeling only grew. It was all Lisa could do from walking in front of the guard, leading the way herself. Anna and Tristan kept behind the guard modestly, with Fiora keeping close behind Tristan. Their first adventure, however small, was beginning. Taking in his companions' company, Tristan could only hope that it went well.


	2. Ch 2: Formido Oppugnatura Exsequens

The journey from Tharsis to the old forest mine took a short amount of time. Tristan noticed he had passed on it when he had made the trip on foot. Foliage coated the base of the vicinity, masking the entrance. A minor clearing lay just in between a pair of trees. Beyond that, an opaque layer of shadow obscured anything beyond a couple of feet. Fiora hid behind Tristan, clutching his arm.

"You know, in the event that we do have to fight some enemies, Anna might provide you with more protection." Tristan chuckled.

Once she realized her actions, she let out an exclamation and looked away to hide her reddening face.

"Alright team! Let's get that ore, and then we can explore the labyrinth!" Lisa called cheerfully from halfway into the mine.

Tristan's face dropped as he had a sudden realization. "Hold on a moment. I forgot to stock up on parchment before we left."

Lisa pulled her head out of the clearing, annoyed. "What do you need parchment for? We're going to be mining, not writing a novel."

He shook his head. "If the mine is anything like the labyrinth, there's no telling how many twists and turns there will be. It would be wise to make a map of our route so we don't get lost. We should go back."

A scowl darkened Lisa's face. "And loose precious time? We're just going to grab some ore and be in and out. You can bring your silly maps next time."

"They're not silly, they're essential! If we get lost in there, our lives could be in danger!"

Anna pointed at the trees. "It seems like a relatively small area. Perhaps we can make it without cartography this one time?"

Before he could argue the point further, Lisa had already entered the labyrinth with Anna following closely behind. Fiora opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. She looked up at Tristan expectantly. He sighed.

"Well, let's go after them. Someone's gotta make sure they don't get hurt," he grumbled and began his descent into the woods after his companions. She nodded quickly and followed.

As angry as he wanted to be about his advice being so readily discarded, he understood why they were eager to the point of being irrational. Fiora and himself and just arrived in Tharsis that day, but there's no telling how long Lisa and Anna had been in that town without any source of income. Of course they would be antsy.

Strangely enough, enough sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees not only to illuminate the mine, but to provide a warmth to all it fell upon. Vegetation, trees and oversized fungus created a natural wall that denied any deviation from the path nature had carved. Echoing from somewhere in the forested mine, the singing of birds could be heard. Fiora, presumably taking Tristan up on his advice earlier, stood behind Anna while walking alongside him. That left Tristan behind Lisa, which amused him somewhat.

 _I have a feeling she's going to get hurt the easiest. If I'm the medic, I should probably stay close to her._

After not much of a walk, the company found themselves in a clearing with a large body of water separating them from the remainder of the clearing on the other side. Patches of long grass grew near the still water, leaving the air to feel thick and muggy. From the other side of the river, a small patch of grass glistened with sunlight.

"Guys look!" Lisa called excitedly. "The Iridescent Ore!"

Sure enough, when the light hit the stone, every color imaginable became visible. However, the water separating them from the ore looked to be a problem.

Tristan scratched his head. "Yeah, but how do we get across?"

"Simple!" Lisa beamed. "I'll just swim over!" She made a leapt to the water, only to be yanked back by the collar by Tristan. "Owww! What was that for!"

"You're carrying metal. If you tried swimming over, you'd sink right to the bottom and drown. We'll just go around."

"You didn't have to be so rough..." She rubbed her neck.

He sighed. "Yeah well, I can't afford to lose a teammate this early on."

Anna smiled and nudged Tristan playfully. "Careful Tristan, that almost sounded like concern."

His face became a bright shade of red and he quickened his pace, carrying him to the front of the group. "It would be inconvenient to explore without a landsknecht, that's all!"

Anna and Fiora both laughed as they sped up to close the distance between themselves and their medic. Lisa joined them, but seemed to not understand the joke.

After several twists and turns, the party found themselves in front of a rustic door. The remains of pillars that once decorated the door were mere stubs at the bottom, and trees grew around it, making it seem as though it were produced by nature. Tristan traced the carvings on the door with a finger, before trying to pull it open to no avail.

"Can I have some help? I'm not exactly built for strength."

Anna nodded and took her place right in front of the door, prying it open with her strong arms. As it slowly opened, the door creaked and groaned, kicking up some dirt where it had remained dormant.

"The ore!" Lisa ran out in front of the group to the shimmering spot they had laid eyes upon just a few minutes prior and began chipping away at it with her sword. Fiora and Anna joined her, gleefully watching as a chunk of the material began to come loose.

Tristan stood at a distance from everyone else, an expression of worry plaguing his face. "Something doesn't seem right. Don't you guys find it strange that nothing has tried to attack us yet? This seems too easy."

Lisa sighed, exasperated. "There you go again, being a downer. Look, what we came for is right here! In just a couple more minutes we'll be on our way, completely safe. Seriously, be happy for once."

 _Maybe it's just nerves._

He tried to follow her advice and observe the excavation, but something told him to mind their surroundings. Every so often, he would glance up and make sure they were truly alone.

In the distance, he noticed a large beast and as he did so, the beast noticed him with its glowing pale eyes. It's large, primate build hunched over on all fours, beating the ground with its muscular arms of stone. The afro hairstyle would have been otherwise comical, if not for the severity of the situation.

"Uh, guys? We've got trouble!" Tristan shouted, alarming the party.

Anna's face went pale and her body began to tremble, rattling the pieces of her armor. "W-we should go."

"Anna, do you know what that thing is?"

She nodded grimly. "FOE, otherwise known as Formido Oppugnatura Exsequens. I'm s-serious, we should g-go."

He didn't need any more convincing. If their fortress was scared, clearly this wouldn't be a battle easily won. The FOE roared and beat its chest, barreling at the group.

"Everyone, fall back!" he cried.

Anna and Fiora ran straight for the door, but Lisa remained stationary.

"I just need a few more seconds! We're so close; I'm not leaving without that ore!" she protested, frantically increasing the speed at which she chipped away the rock keeping the Iridescent Ore in place. Tristan ran over to her and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet.

"We're leaving!"

As he turned, he saw that the FOE was already upon them. He went to reach for his dagger he kept hidden behind his coat, but the FOE was faster. Raising a powerful arm, it brought down a powerful strike on Tristan, sending immeasurable amounts of pain through his chest.

Crack.

He was almost completely certain that a cracking noise when being struck was never good. He let out an anguished scream and fell to his knees, clutching where he had been hit.

"Tristan!" Lisa brandished her sword, trembling as the FOE wound up for another attack.

Anna sprinted to just in front of her and raised her heavy shield, catching the monster's fist as it connected. The sheer force of the blow sent her flying backward, her back smashing against the door. She groaned and fell to one knee.

"Anna are you-Argh! Damn it..." Tristan winced, looking up at the imposing enemy.

From a position that couldn't be seen, a male's voice shouted, "Are you guys stupid or something? Run!"

An arrow flew past Tristan's face, lodging itself into the FOE's leg. It howled and reared to strike again, but Lisa pulled Tristan out of the way of the strike seconds before it connected. A young man with studded leather worn by his skinny figure and messy dark hair tied back in a ponytail landed next to Lisa, loading more arrows into the FOE's arms and legs.

Fiora, who had been silently watching in horror up until then, let out a mighty cry as her hand started to glow. Without warning, her hand ignited into flame and sent a ball of fire hurling at the enemy. Sparks fizzled out on the grass and into the water, but the fireball hit dead center of the FOE's chest.

"Don't hurt my friends!"

The man with the bow tried to rally the group. "C'mon, get up! That should be enough to stall it with enough time for us to escape! Let's go!" He lodged his head underneath Tristan's arm and carried him over to Anna. "You carry him, I'll keep firing arrows into this bastard if he tries to follow us. Everyone else, just focus running!"

Tristan cringed as his chest was thrown into the back of Anna's armor, and his pain was only made worse with each bouncing step. It almost seemed like it would be easier on him if he weren't awake. One last time, he made sure all of his party members were safe, then slipped into unconsciousness.

When he next awoke, he found himself in a small room underneath some white sheets. It was hard to gauge the time of day, though if he had to guess by the light filtering in through the window, it was a little past noon. Looking around, he saw that the man who had helped them escape was also with him.

"Ah, you're awake! You're lucky Saehrimnir Inn has a clinic built in or you'd be in trouble."

So that's where he was. He had thought he smelled a familiar sweetness in the air, though it was difficult to place the origin with his hazy mind. After some reflection, he found it admirable for Dalla to not only provide room and board for visitors, but also medical care. But if he and the archer were there...

"What about my guild?" he exclaimed suddenly. "Are they okay?"

The man waved a dismissive hand. "Oh sure, they're fine. The girl with the fluffy hair and the blonde with the checkered hat were crying all the way until they took you into the clinic though. You're a lucky man, my friend." He smiled and winked.

Tristan couldn't help but smile. "It's not like that, I assure you." Still, it comforted him to know his teammates were okay.

 _Sounds just like Fiora to get emotional over something like this. Wait, blonde with a checkered hat? Did he mean Lisa? Why would she be crying over me?_

"Still though, you were in pretty rough shape when we brought you in. That FOE cracked every single one of your ribs. If you weren't treated when you were, a rib could have fractured and punctured a lung or two. Maybe even your heart. Then it would've been game over for you."

Ouch.

"Really, thank you so much for helping us. We probably couldn't have escaped if not for your skill with the bow. I'm sorry, but I don't think I got your name." Tristan dipped his head apologetically.

The archer grinned. "The name's Maxwell, but you can call me Max. I was using that particular spot for target practice, but it looks like the monsters there are gonna be riled up for a while, so no more free resources. There goes my source of income. Unless..." He raised an eyebrow. "I noticed you only had three others with you. No fifth guild member?"

Tristan shook his head. "Four was all we could muster when we left for the mine."

Max grinned. "Perfect, I'll join your guild then. You get the skills of a highly trained sniper and I get a cut of the reward for missions and quests. Sound good?"

He thought about it, rubbing his chin. Max did save them from the FOE, so there was no doubt about his skill. He thought there was strength in numbers, so maybe adding another teammate to the roster wasn't such a bad idea. The memory of Max saving his guild cemented it.

"I'd have to check with the rest of my guild first, but I'd be more than happy to have you with us."

"Perfect! I'll go let them know you're awake." Max slung his bow over his shoulder and stood up. He turned around smirked with a reddening face, keeping his voice to a low whisper. "So uh... If it's 'not like that' as you claim, does that mean they're fair game?"

Tristan scowled. "They're not prey, Maxwell. They're women."

"What's the difference?"

The medic shook his head and sighed. "Mind your manners around them, please. Especially the runemaster, she seems to have a weak heart."

"Does she now?" The sniper broke out into a devilish grin, broken only by the glare of death Tristan shot at him. "Alright, alright! I'll keep the smooth moves to minimum." He jogged to the door, seeing himself out.

A few minutes passed and Fiora entered the room with a tray of sandwiches and a bowl of soup. Seeing Tristan okay with her own eyes, she broke out into a warm smile. She walked over slowly, carefully setting the tray on the bed.

"I'm glad to see you're doing better. I was really worried." She smiled sadly.

"Friends, huh? That's what you called us back in the mine."

"Ahh! You heard that?"

"Well, you did kind of shout it."

Fiora's face brightened as she stared at her lap. "I don't know... I've always been so shy, so it was difficult for me to make friends back in my village. But traveling and working together with you all, I felt like we really cared about one another. It's the closest thing I've had to real friends."

Taking a bite out of one of the sandwiches, Tristan smiled. "We are real friends, I can assure you. Mm, these are great!"

She smiled sheepishly. "Th-thank you, I made them myself..."

"Wow, Fiora! Remind us to have you cook for us some time. Maybe you can work with Dalla and create a culinary masterpiece!"

Her face only reddened deeper. "Stop it, now you're just teasing me." She got up and walked over to the edge of the room and looked over her shoulder, smiling. "I'm glad you like them, though." As she exited the room, Tristan caught a glimpse of Anna and Lisa standing just outside the door.

"Go on!" Anna shoved Lisa's back, pushing her into the room.

Lisa fidgeted, unable to make eye contact. "Hey um... How are you feeling?"

"Apparently all of my ribs were broken. I'm fine now though."

She stared at her shoes, he usual boundless energy gone. "I'm sorry... If I just would have listened to you, we could've gotten out okay. And you took that attack for me, too..." Her lips began to curl. "We didn't even get the ore. You got hurt because of me and we didn't even get the ore."

Tristan smiled slyly and removed a shining stone from underneath the sheets.

"The ore!"

"In the confusion, I was able to pick some up and store it in my coat pocket, but I wouldn't have been able to do that had you not loosened it enough for me to take it. And I saw you stay by my side, even when it looked like there was no possible means of victory. You were very brave, Lisa. Thank you." He smiled gently.

"So...you're not upset with me?"

"Of course not. We're a guild after all; we have to learn to look after and care about one another. That goes for you and me too."

Lisa smiled widely before turning around and sniffling, wiping her eyes with the palm of her hands.

"Lisa, are you...crying?"

"I just got some dirt in my eye!" She ran out of the room, pushing past Anna who sighed and walked in.

"She's probably been taking it the hardest of all. She kept saying it was her fault as we hauled you to the clinic." She smiled. "So I think she needed to hear that."

Tristan nodded. "What about you? You knew exactly what the FOE was and turned as pale as a sheet when you saw it."

Anna took a deep breath. "The truth is, I was in a guild before, back when I was younger. In those days I was the sniper of the group, providing support from behind. It happened one day when we were exploring the labyrinth... Our medic was in critical condition and in no position to treat anyone, so the party was suffering minor to major wounds. As we were about to exit, we were ambushed. I did all I could to buy my party time, but it wasn't enough. They died, Tristan.

"Since that day, I trained myself to be in impenetrable wall that no enemy may get through. I worked every day to become stronger, that I may be a fortress for my allies. However, today was my first day exploring since that fateful day. I regret is that I wasn't able to do my job correctly. I failed you." She hung her head in shame.

"No, you didn't," he protested. "You took at least one hit for me, and that saved my life. The way I see it, we're all level one. This was everyone's first day exploring, and your first day exploring as a fortress. Though you may have more experience and knowledge than most of us, I'm considering you level one as well."

Anna raised her head, smiling. "I suppose you're right. Thank you, Tristan. It's that type of thinking that made us decide to make you guild leader."

His eyes widened and he choked violently on the soup he had chosen to drink seconds before she made her comment. After his coughing fit had calmed down, he held his mouth in his hand as a precautionary from any soup dripping onto the sheets.

"What did you say?"

She nodded. "Had we listened to your advice, we would have gotten through today completely unscathed, so it was unanimously decided that you should be the one calling the shots from here on. Granted, it's something of an unofficial position, but referring to you as leader may make it easier to listen to you." She got up and walked to the room's entrance. "It was Lisa's idea, you know."

And with that, Tristan was left alone in his temporary bed. He couldn't stay there forever of course; he knew he's have to leave it to lead his guild into the labyrinth. Leader seemed like such a heavy task, but there would be time for those thoughts later. For the moment, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to rest. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	3. UPDATE

p class="MsoNormal"I bet the three of you that read this are probably wondering why I haven't uploaded any chapters in so long. Seeing as this was my first attempt writing something that wasn't a one shot, I was bound to make mistakes. A few of them were starting the story at the same time I started the game and trying to adapt everything. Etrian Odyssey is a long game, and there was no way I was going to be able to record every little event that happened. This actually leads into the next problem I ran across: Recording everything instead of just what's important. I can only imagine how boring it was to read a detailed description of every small event, and it was pretty boring for me to write as well. The level of description can be something used to control the pace, and I didn't realize that until much later. Playing the game and writing the story at the same time was also a terrible idea, because it takes more time to write a chapter than it does to clear a dungeon. What would have been wiser is to get to a certain point and record the important points. And my characters all had different personalities (which were fun to write) but it came to my attention how two dimensional they were. Now, I could have easily have fixed these problems by changing how I wrote in subsequent chapters and introducing backstories, but considering that Etrian Odyssey V comes out this year in Japan and next year in the Americas (probably), I didn't want to sink a lot of effort into characters with stories that have already ended. So The Endless Sky is cancelled BUT you can expect an Etrian Odyssey V fan fiction coming from me a few months after the game's release. I would like to hear your suggestions on what I should do with the time in between now and EOV's release, whether it be short stories about Herogard (the characters I have written aren't going to make it to EOV, except for Tristan. You'll get to see a very different version of him!) or a story about a different series entirely. I apologize for dropping something so early on but my next works will be better, I promise!/p 


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